"I might get questioned for not playing Olympics" - Emma Raducanu shrugs off criticism over scheduling, maintains she will do things at her own pace
Emma Raducanu defeated Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-0 in the first round of the 2024 Rothesay International, following which she wrote the message 'My own pace' on the camera as a victory message. It is the key takeaway the Brit has had this season, that she has to do things on her own time regardless of the criticism that comes her way.
Raducanu skipped the French Open last month where the absence of a main draw wildcard meant that she would have to play the qualifiers. Instead, the Brit chose to train directly on the grass, keeping the upcoming Wimbledon Championships in mind.
The former US Open champion has also decided to opt out of the Paris Olympics, although she was offered the chance to compete. The Olympics will be taking place after Wimbledon at Roland Garros, forcing her to switch to clay again and then to the hardcourts for the North American swing.
Both her decisions saw criticism from fans, with many wondering why Raducanu could not play a schedule only as heavy as other players'. For instance, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, the current No. 1 and No. 2 on the WTA rankings, respectively, are set to play the entire stretch of events, as are many others.
Speaking to the press after her win over Stephens in Eastbourne, Emma Raducanu expanded on the camera message, admitting that she has been guilty in the past of playing too many tournaments without giving herself the right amount of time to recover.
Last year, for example, the 21-year-old had to miss out on both the French Open and Wimbledon as she had to undergo surgery in her wrist and ankle. The Brit said she has learned from that ordeal and vowed not to make the mistake again.
Raducanu also conceded that the decision may lead to questions, but shrugged them off saying that it was part of life as a tennis pro.
"I think at one point I was chasing, playing too many tournaments when I wasn't ready, and then I was just picking up niggle after niggle in every tournament, because I never really gave myself any time to do the training and the work. I think that's something I did a lot better this year," Emma Raducanu said.
"Even though I might get challenged or questioned for not playing certain tournaments like the French Open or the Olympics, I think that for me, that is just part of it. Doing things at my own speed and doing things how I want to rather than how everyone else thinks is best for me, because ultimately me and the close few people around me just only know what is actually best for me and my game," she added.
Emma Raducanu to take on Jessica Pegula next in Eastbourne
Following her win over Sloane Stephens, Emma Raducanu will take on Jessica Pegula in the second round of the 2024 Rothesay International.
The second seed, Pegula received a bye in the first round and comes into the tournament fresh off a title run at the WTA 500 event in Berlin last week.
After the end of her stint in Eastbourne, Raducanu will go to Wimbledon where she has been awarded a wildcard. The 21-year-old has previously reached the second week at SW19, doing so in 2021 weeks before her maiden Grand Slam win at the US Open.